The Meaning of Friendship
by Kouji-wolf
Summary: This is for a contest by Broken Angel01. It's about Ryoko about two hours before going over to Dai's house to go to the Digital World. Please R&R! Oneshot.


I'm really sorry I haven't posted anything lately, but this is for a contest Broken Angel01 put out. I'll try really hard to post a new chapter for one of my other stories as soon as I can. I'm sorry!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, or any of these characters. The characters are in _Following the Footsteps of Destiny_ by Broken Angel01.

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**The Meaning of Friendship**

The golden-haired boy was lying on his bed, thinking about the dream he had last night. His partner was still sleeping next to his pillow.

His dream had been about Daichi Motomiya. He had _no idea_ why Dai seemed to hate him so much, nor why he had to be a jerk to him all the time. Knowing the full story about his father's friendship with the boy's uncle, Tai, helped, but not completely. His father, Matt, had been jealous of how well his younger brother, T.K., got along with Tai, since Matt and T.K. hadn't gotten to grow up together. Unlike Tai and _his_ younger sister, Kari.

The boy sighed softly enough so as not to wake his partner. His dream had been a combination of his first trip into the Digital World and what he thought Dai thought of him. It had started with Crystalmon and Dragermon, but it had ended with Dai about to say how much he _hated_ the blonde. He could easily imagine the goggle-headed leader saying just that, no matter _what_ Dai's partner said.

He sighed a little louder this time, accidentally waking his partner. His partner took one look at him then asked, "Ryoko? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Iramon. I'm just thinking." Ryoko replied.

"About what?"

The golden-haired boy hesitated, sighed, and then admitted, "Dai. I really don't know why he hates me so much."

"How do you know he hates you, Ryoko? Did he say that?"

"No, but he acts like it. You've seen him. He uses any excuse to argue with me."

"But don't your father and Tai do the same thing? And aren't they best friends?"

"Yeah, but they didn't really hate each other. Dad was just jealous of Tai, that's all. I'm not jealous of Dai. I just don't know why he seems to hate me so much."

A third voice coming from the door to Ryoko's room asked, "Have you asked him?"

Ryoko sat up in bed, startled. "Dad! How long were you standing there?"

"Since Iramon woke up. I was about to tell you I was going to go start breakfast when he asked you what was wrong." Matt paused, and then asked, "Why didn't you tell me about your problems with Dai? I had to figure out what was going on by watching the two of you lately. Hearing you just now only confirmed my suspicions." He walked further into the room and sat on the corner of Ryoko's bed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

The golden-haired boy bit his lip. "I don't know…"

"You don't have to if you don't want to, but I can probably help you more than anyone else can," The golden-haired man pointed out. He waited to see if his son was going to talk. When he didn't, Matt started to get up.

"Wait, dad!"

The man sat back down on the bed. His son looked scared but determined to talk about his feelings. He waited for Ryoko to start.

He didn't have to wait long. Ryoko decided to get straight to the point.

"I don't know why," the boy started. "But Dai has seemed to hate since we were really young. He can't even seem to call me by my first name. He's always calling me Ishida. Of course, I never seem able to call him Dai when he's around. I always call him Daichi."

"Why?"

Ryoko sighed. "I don't know. I just always have. I don't think he even notice when I actually use his nickname."

"Since you don't know, why are you so worried about it this morning?" Matt asked, quietly. "Knowing that might help."

The golden-haired boy hesitated, and then decided to tell his father about his dream last night. Matt listened patiently as his son told him the details that he could remember. Ryoko finished by saying, "The dream ended right as Dai was about to say how much he hated me. What if my dream is telling me it's pointless to try to talk him around? What if it means that Dai is going to be my enemy?" He paused, and then continued quietly, "I don't think I could handle that."

"I know how that feels. I used to feel the same way about Tai. I didn't get dreams like that, but I did get these feelings that he hated me. I thought we would _never_ be friends, let alone _best_ friends. It wasn't until _after_ Gabumon and I were in that dark cave that I realized I could be friends with him if I told him how I felt. Don't make that mistake. Just try talking to him before or after you go to the Digital World today. Okay?"

The boy nodded. Matt lightly slapped his son's leg. "Time to get out of bed," he said as he stood up. "I need to go make breakfast. Though," he smirked as he looked at the clock. "It's a good thing it's a Saturday, or you would be late for school."

"Dad!"

He laughed as he headed for the door. He stopped and turned when his son said, "Hey, dad? Thanks."

Matt smiled. "Your welcome. Just remember that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Talk to him and see what happens."

"I will, dad," Ryoko replied. "But if it makes things worse, I'm blaming it all on you!"

"Okay," Matt laughed, then left the room to make breakfast.

Ryoko watched his father leave the room. He waited until he heard his father walk down the stairs before he sighed. _Talking to Dai is _not_ going to be easy, no matter _what_ dad says_.

"Are you okay now, Ryoko? Did that help?" Iramon asked, his sapphire eyes sympathetic.

"Sort of. Talking to Dai isn't going to be easy. _Especially_ since I don't know what he thinks of me."

"But you will try, right? You told your father you would."

"I will, Iramon, and I know you'll make sure I do, but it will still be hard. Other than me and Dai, only you and DemiEmbermon will be there to listen. That will make it easier than doing it in front of everyone else, but not easy enough."

"We'll both support you, Ryoko. We both thought you would be great best friends. We believe in you both."

Ryoko smiled. "Thanks, Iramon. That helps a lot. I'm going to need all the help I can get and it's good to know that you and DemiEmbermon will do what you can."

"Of course we will!" Iramon exclaimed. "We don't want you and Dai to hate each other, we want you to be the best of friends!"

"Thanks. I think I want that, too."

"Good!"

Ryoko laughed. He felt like he hadn't been laughing enough lately.

"Ryoko!" his father called up the stairs. "Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes! Hurry up and get ready, or it'll be cold by the time you get down here!"

"Coming, dad!" he yelled back.

As he got out of bed to get ready, Iramon asked, "Are you going to talk to Dai before we go to the Digital World or after?"

"Before, so I don't lose my nerve. Hopefully he'll listen," Ryoko replied as he buttoned his jeans. He pulled on a short-sleeved T-shirt and grabbed his jacket.

"Are we going to eat, now?" Iramon asked, hopefully.

"Yeah, Iramon. Dad is a really good cook. You'll love it."

"Yea! Food, food, food, food!"

Ryoko laughed again. "Come on; let's go eat, Iramon," he said as he picked up his partner from the bed. As he left his room, and started walking down the stairs, he thought, _Talking to Dai won't be easy, but with Iramon on his side, he could do anything. Even make Dai realize that they would be the best of friends_.


End file.
